The Leaves of Grass
by Latona Enelra Caine
Summary: A series of drabbles following the marriage of Robert and Cora Crawley through war, loss, and happiness.
1. Chapter 1

_**While we wait for the next chapter of "This is a Rebel's Story" here is a bit of Cobert for you. I'll try to post them each Saturday!**_

_**Yes! by Dario Marianelli**_

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**1. Pain**

"My Darling, what's wrong?"

Damn! He had been certain that she had fallen asleep. Hastily wiping away the tears streaming down his face he turned to look at her. After weeks of sleeping in his own bed, he could still hear the sounds of a battle which was no longer being fought.

"Nothing my love," he said with a watery smile.

Her look said it all. He knew that she didn't believe him for one second..

"It was truly terrible, wasn't it?"

"Yes," He breathed out and shuddered as he felt her arms pull him into her embrace.

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**Would love to hear your thoughts!**

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	2. Museum

**And here's another one for you guys...**

_**No Tracks in the Snow by Mychael Danna**_

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**2. Museum **

To her it feels more like a museum rather than a home. It's prestigious paintings with Roberts ancestors make her feel like if she's being scrutinized by the ghosts of Christmas past for being American. Sometimes she's almost afraid to touch the stair banister for all its high polished appearance.

It's not like the estate back in New York where she was free to do as she pleased without rousing any scandal.

Here she's an outsider with no one to rely on, not even the husband who she was wedded to three months before. She misses her real home.

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**Reviews welcome!**


	3. Sticks and Stones

**3. Sticks and Stones**

She's not one to eavesdrop but when she hears her mother-in-law utter her name disdainfully, Cora cannot help standing near the doorway to the library.

"You would think that she would be with child at this point already Robert."

"Yes, well she's not, Mama," he replies sounding exasperated.

"If only you'd taken one of the more suitable ladie-"

"Mama, would you put an end to this kind of talk if I told you that she makes me happy?" Robert snaps.

Cora feels her heart soar at his words. She knows then, that they will make it through this strange marriage.


	4. Sway

**Chaplin/Smile by John barry **

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**4. Sway**

Robert finds her outside on the terrace listlessly staring up at the night sky. Inside the stirrings of another waltz for the wedding guests can already be heard.

Love.

One thing he hasn't shown her within six months of courting. And here she is ready to take on her duties as Lady of Downton. He only wishes he knew how to tell her.

She starts when he wordlessly grabs her hands placing one over his heart as he wraps his own around her waist. Slowly he sways them to the music hoping she can see this for what it is.


	5. Gloves

**_Winter Light by Tim Finn_**

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**5. Gloves**

Puffs of mist float in front of him as he sighs deeply. Cora clings to his arm trying to keep as warm as possible while looking out for ice that might endanger their clumsy footing.

"There's quite a chill out here," he murmurs. Her fingers grip his arm tighter.

"Yes, quite," she agrees.

"Hold on, where are your gloves?" he stops and looks down at her bare hands.

"Oh, I forgot them in the house."

They're trembling slightly as they clutch his sleeve. Without another word he grabs them between his rubbing them and blowing his warm breath onto them.


	6. Immortal

_**He moved through the Fair by Sinead O'Connor**_

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**6. Immortal **

"He's gone," Robert says blankly.

Cora watches as he stares out the window with unseeing eyes. In their fifteen months of marriage she's never seen him in such a state. His pride has melted away into grief over the recent death of his dear father.

She doesn't know what to do. He turns to her with those sorrowful blue eyes and she feels her heart break.

"Everything will be all right," she whispers.

His lost expression contorts into pain as he begins to weep. He feels her arms around him as he presses his face against her chest.


	7. Trust

**No Other Love by Chuck Prophet**

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**7. Trust**

Robert trusts her with his life. He trusts her with his ancestors work. No question about it. He can't imagine leaving this world and his home to anyone but her.

Her trust in him is another matter entirely. She shouldn't trust him at all, and he knows this. He's a living, breathing example of what an untrustworthy man is. He's no different from the arrogant cads that he was forced to interact with in his youth. Now he must live with the fact that he nearly had another woman in his bed. And for that, he will never forgive himself.


	8. Passion

_**Schubertlied, D. 768,Nr.96, 3: Wanderers Nachtlied by Hans Hotter**_

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**8. Passion**

Love is one sided in their relationship. She is well aware of that fact. There's no fire, no sparks when they touch, no fire.

She can kindle the embers of fire for both of them if need be. If only for the time being.

"Cora?" he says with worried eyes. "Did you hear me?"

She nods.

"Will you, Cora? Will you marry me?"

She beams at him with a wonderfully happy façade.

That smile is all he needs. Robert feels a surge of happiness as he presses his lips against her porcelain hands.

He'll make it work…he knows he can.

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**A/N: So, I'll be leaving these two right here... I don't want to but...I need to focus on Rebel's Story for now and can't allow coming up with new drabbles for Cobert to interfere with these creative juices. So-for now...here is where they'll stay together...it doesn't mean I won't be writing for them more in the future! I can see myself posting new drabbles after I complete Rebel's Story! Thanks to all of you lovely people who did review! You guys rock! **


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